The Bermuda Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) for the first time in its 124-year history has a female Presiding Elder.

The appointment of the Rev. Betty L. Furbert-Woolridge was revealed to a packed "Town Hall" meeting on Friday night at Centennial Hall of St. Paul AME Church in Hamilton.

The Rt. Rev. Richard F. Norris, the presiding Bishop of the 1st District of the Church, made the announcement.

Rev. Furbert for the past 17 years has held the pastorate of Allen Temple AME Church, Somerset. She fills the vacancy caused by the retirement of the Rev. Malcolm Eve after 17 years as Bermuda Presiding Elder and a long tenure as pastor of Bethel AME Church.

She now becomes pastor of St. Phillip's AME Church, Harris Bay, replacing Rev. Dr. Milton Burgess. He has gone to St. Luke Church, St. David's Island. The Rev. Lorne Bean, the long serving pastor of Bright Temple, Warwick, is now pastor of Bethel Church, Shelly Bay; and Rev. Dionne Douglas has gone from St. Luke to Bright Temple.

The pastorate of Allen Temple has been given to the Rev. Howard L. Dill whom Bishop Norris "has brought back home" after having served since 2006 as pastor of historic St. Mark AME Church in Queen's, New York. Rev. Dill and his wife Rev. Dr. Emily A. Dill, were transferred out of the Bermuda Conference in 2006 after a tenure as the longest-serving pastor of Vernon Temple Church in Southampton.

Pastors at the remaining seven of the 11 local AME Churches were returned to their charges for the next conference year.